Every community needs a reliable source for local news and a place to get informed about important issues that affect the environment where they live.
However, when that "source" becomes the ignition point for dissension in the community, they no longer serve the purpose they intended to be.
Or maybe, that's only what they pretended to be.
PATCH editor Jessica Davis walks a fine line between reality show and train wreck with the way she runs what real journalists refer to as a "web rag". Her tactics of omitting crucial information in articles regarding high profile environmental projects, openly biased participation on the site, spinning tragedies of a Malibu locals to inflate PATCH's traffic numbers, allowing blatant harassment, publishing libelous statements and encouraging ill will between residents in our community is nothing less than shameful and an embarrassment to the residents of Malibu.
PATCH posts rules for participating on their site:
Official Patch policy:
"Acceptable Use
While we encourage people to be honest and post what’s on their mind, communities thrive when people care about each other, and as such, Patch expects all of its users to be respectful of others. This means that whether you are being complimentary or critical, whether you are agreeing or disagreeing with the subject of an article or another user’s comment, you should act in a civil manner and refrain from personal attacks – after all, these are your neighbors."The 411's suggestion proposed to her MANY times?
HIRE INTERNS TO HELP MONITOR THE SITE. THEY'RE FREE AND THEY NEED THE HOURS TO GRADUATE.
Having a P.R. firm myself with clients that have blogs with tens of thousand of unique hits per post, I can assure my clients would never stand for this type of behavior on their sites, nor would I allow them to have their settings where it is a free for all to post without some type of censorship.
Steve Woods, contributor and co-founder of this site was banned from Malibu PATCH during the height of the Lagoon Restoration battle. The editor at the time was Jonathan Friedman, who was spoon feeding the opposition to the project, most likely protecting PATCH advertising dollars. Almost every voice supporting the Malibu Lagoon Restoration was banned from Malibu PATCH, leaving the community at a great disadvantage to learning why this project would BENEFIT Malibu residents and visitors. Instead, they heard only lies and propaganda the the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project would be killing wildlife, destroying property values and legendary surf.
When tragedy affected Steve and I personally and we became a "useful" source of information for Davis because of our connection to her news stories, Davis welcomed me personally onto the site. However, once a few of the "squeaky wheels" who opposed our support for the lagoon project realized that I relied heavily on Steve Woods knowledge to accurately communicate on related posts, Davis' biased behavior emerged again.
Steve is a 30 plus year Malibu resident with extensive knowledge about the surf and the environment, which is a long way from my fashion and entertainment P.R. knowledge, so his opinions I greatly respect and depend on to properly inform the public, specifically about the restoration. Needless to say, that didn't go over well with the Lagoon opponents and Davis had the nerve to send me this email:
|  9/6/12 | |
Hi Cece,
I hope you are doing well. You know that I support you coming on Malibu Patch and commenting. I appreciate your perspective and I want to keep your voice on Malibu Patch.
However, I noticed on the 411 Facebook page a conversation about how you are posting comments directly from Steve Woods with only a few edits. I've attached a screenshot of the conversation to this email.
I want you to keep on posting, but to post as solely yourself and not with Steve, who is still not allowed on Malibu Patch. This line from the terms of use sums it up: You might boil it down to three main principles: “Keep it clean,” “Don’t try to trick people,” and “Treat others as you’d like to be treated.” It's your username, not Steve's.
Thank you for understanding and I look forward to reading your unique perspective on Malibu Patch.
Jessica E. Davis
Editor, Malibu Patch(310) 321-8309
malibu.patch.com
facebook.com/malibupatch
twitter.com/malibupatch
I hope you are doing well. You know that I support you coming on Malibu Patch and commenting. I appreciate your perspective and I want to keep your voice on Malibu Patch.
However, I noticed on the 411 Facebook page a conversation about how you are posting comments directly from Steve Woods with only a few edits. I've attached a screenshot of the conversation to this email.
I want you to keep on posting, but to post as solely yourself and not with Steve, who is still not allowed on Malibu Patch. This line from the terms of use sums it up: You might boil it down to three main principles: “Keep it clean,” “Don’t try to trick people,” and “Treat others as you’d like to be treated.” It's your username, not Steve's.
Thank you for understanding and I look forward to reading your unique perspective on Malibu Patch.
Jessica E. Davis
Editor, Malibu Patch(310) 321-8309
malibu.patch.com
facebook.com/malibupatch
twitter.com/malibupatch
The hypocrisy in this email is astounding. Of course my opinions are my own, they just happen to be in sync with Steve's - and she knew that. One of our common bonds has always been the lagoon, which is why we started the 411 one year ago. We did not want to be punished or censored for our opinions and we wanted a place to express them, more importantly we wanted to inform the community with the correct information, data and science.
My other favorite part of the email ? Citing to me what responsible and respectful behavior is:
"Keep it Clean" she states.
Let me give you the most recent example of what she allowed on PATCH posted on Saturday March 23, 2013:
"HANS YOU OLD FAT SAD POOR EXCUSE FOR A MAN A WORM OF A MAN SCUM OF THE EARTH RACIST PIG MALIBU DOES NOT WANT YOU HANS UR MEAN AND NASTY YOU SPIT THINGS OUT OF UR MOUTH BEFORE YOU THINK WHO YOU HURT *******YOU *******WORM********** OF *********** MAN ****HANS"
Is this what PATCH calls clean?
That statement was bothersome to so many people I was personal getting emails about how completely shocked and dismayed that PATCH would allow this vile behavior.
Although it was removed the next morning, it was on the site long enough to cause great concern among the members in this community.
Although it was removed the next morning, it was on the site long enough to cause great concern among the members in this community.
Not to mention, the comment is LIBEL and it is a violation of California Civil Code 48 a.
PATCH can pretend all they want that they are not responsible for what is posted by members of the community, but once they edit comments, or comment on threads regarding the behavior, they have responsibility - not to mention an ethical responsibility to this community not to encourage this type of engagement.
PATCH can pretend all they want that they are not responsible for what is posted by members of the community, but once they edit comments, or comment on threads regarding the behavior, they have responsibility - not to mention an ethical responsibility to this community not to encourage this type of engagement.
"Don't try to trick people". Jessica further states.
Fake profiles are being used on PATCH to commit libel, harassment and create civil discourse. These people are able to get away with with it because the "train wreck" that occurs in almost every thread creates traffic from "rubberneckers". That traffic creates numbers for the site and PATCH turns that into advertising dollars.
AOL, Patch's parent company is profiting off of the dissension and disharmony in this community. An environment they created by fueling the emotions surrounding a controversial project.
If PATCH hadn't allowed this behavior to take place, giving these fake profiles and those with obvious mental disorders a place to spew their venom, friends and neighbors would still be speaking to each other. Instead, they supported the division of this community.
It's gotten so bad recently, Malibu resident "Hellwood" posted this recently on PATCH:
"Good articles have gone down the tubes and lost their potential due to ego driven maniacs and comedians clashing, interrupting the flow of intelligent thoughts being tossed back and forth. I have noticed that there is nowhere on the patch for people to express themselves. This is a thread where anybody, including those with anonymous accounts can attack, disrespect, and flat out destroy each other."
The reality is is that PATCH doesn't care about informing the community, they care about controlling the information fed to the residents in order to control the reaction.
Those reactions reap financial rewards for the corporate giant.
The classic example of "We are just a number".
It's gotten so bad recently, Malibu resident "Hellwood" posted this recently on PATCH:
"Good articles have gone down the tubes and lost their potential due to ego driven maniacs and comedians clashing, interrupting the flow of intelligent thoughts being tossed back and forth. I have noticed that there is nowhere on the patch for people to express themselves. This is a thread where anybody, including those with anonymous accounts can attack, disrespect, and flat out destroy each other."
The reality is is that PATCH doesn't care about informing the community, they care about controlling the information fed to the residents in order to control the reaction.
Those reactions reap financial rewards for the corporate giant.
The classic example of "We are just a number".
Bob Purvey, a surfer and Malibu local since the 60's and a board member of EcoMalibu exposes former editor Jonathan Friedman for his biased behavior and censoring the science involved in the Malibu Lagoon Project presented by Matt Horns.
Bob Purvey
Jonathan
Friedman censored Matthew Horn's informative comments, which were
filled with information about Matt’s 13 years of working directly in the
field of Malibu Creek and all its tributaries. Why did Jonathan
Friedman delete Matthew Horn’s comments? Because Friedman has a bias
toward the commercial development community, as he demonstrated in his
numerous comments stating how he "sees things." Friedman's un-American,
fascist "burn the books" attempt at dumbing-down Malibu residents is too
too obvious when it comes to this incident and shutting down Matthew
Horn. Friedman is deliberately refusing the Malibu community an
opportunity to learn. What happened to freedom of speech? In “New Media”
this is truly an offensive assault. Friedman allowed the lagoon project
obstructionist's propaganda campaign of disinformation, he allowed
strategic distractions from the obstructionists on numerous articles
about the lagoon and here he promotes the commercial developer's party. I
challenged Friedman directly on his false accusations of me and he
forestalled his substantiation that he promised "links and quotes" and
now he's gone. Typical obstructionist, cause trouble and leave.
Not long after this comment, Bob Purvey was banned too.
However, ring leader of the opposition to the restoration, Marcia Hanscom was allowed to stay, perpetuate drama and distortions.
Surprised?
We're not because now, we got their number.
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